Just as the New York Islanders started feeling a little bit better about themselves having gone 4-0-1 in their last five contests, well, the rival New York Rangers had to play the role of party poopers Monday evening at Madison Square Garden.

Matt Gilroy tallied a pair of goals, while the Rangers fired a staggering 52 shots, en route to an easy 7-2 win over their rivals from Long Island.

Michael Grabner, left, and the Islanders saw their recent mini winning streak (4-0-1 last five games) come to an end in a 7-2 loss to the Rangers Monday evening. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

The Rangers broke free of a 2-2 tie with a pair of second period goals, then added three in the final period to ice the game. New York outshot the Islanders 52-20 in beating them for the third time in four match ups this season.

For the Islanders, Rob Schremp and P.A. Parenteau netted goals in the first 20 minutes, as the Islanders held a brief 2-1 lead before the collapse came, with the Rangers netting seven goals on the usually reliable Dwayne Roloson.

“It was just one of those things,” Islanders goalie Roloson told The Associated Press afterwards. “Some lucky breaks and bounces that were going off people and in the net. But it’s my fault. I’ll take the blame for the loss. As a goalie, you’ve got to give your guys a chance to win, and I didn’t do that.” Roloson notched 38 saves just 24 hours earlier in a 4-1 win over the visiting Montreal Canadiens.

The Islanders look to get back on the winning track Wednesday evening when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins.